The resources of the third stratum proved to be a boon to the Colony, but none more so than the Fire Iron, as we called it. Found in naturally replenishing reserves between layers, the precious metal had several properties that made it of enormous interest, especially to those like me.

Obviously, it was heat resistant, but to such an extreme degree that it was shocking to us. Our finest quality enchanted steel couldn’t compare to even the unprocessed ore.

The first challenge was trying to find a way to smelt it. The metal was usually found submerged in lava, or at the very least coated on one side with it. Producing a temperature hot enough to melt it was difficult, to say the least. It was Propellant who eventually solved the issue, creating a circular heating system that required five fire mages to keep it running.

The air within the furnace was so hot, we had to create a system to prevent the air from touching the walls to prevent those from melting too.

The first thing I did once we managed to smelt and shape the Fire Iron was make a new smelter out of it. From that point, basically all equipment in the Colony that needed to be fireproofed was formed of Fire Iron. I would be lost without my new tools, I barely have to cool them.

- Excerpt from “Antdustrial Revolution” by Smithant.

“What in the name of Eldest’s left foreleg is going on down there?” the scout leader, Amantsen, demanded.

“It’s the demons!” the poor, harried scout replied as the medic worked on her burns. “They’ve gone crazy. It’s all out war!”

“Between who and who? The demons are attacking someone? Is it the ka’armodo?”

A conflict between the lizards and the demons would suit the Colony down to the ground. While their most powerful fighter was asleep, the various spot-fires around the place cooling down would be ideal.

The injured scout shook her antennae.

“The demons are fighting everyone. Cities are burning, there’s fighting on the plains, there’s fighting everywhere! The second those crazed creatures find something to fight, they attack, doesn’t matter who or what it is.”

Amantsen flicked her antennae irritably. The demons had gone crazy? Why? How? The whole situation only threw up more questions the more she looked into it. The poor scout lay on the ground before her as the medic continued her ministrations, grumbling pheromones rising by the second.

Clearly, it was extremely dangerous. It would be irresponsible to send further scouts down to look when the chances for deaths to occur were so high. If the demons were being as indiscriminately violent as advertised, it was dangerous for anyone to scout out the situation.

Individual missions and small teams were out. Which left only a large-scale investigation, which may only serve to provoke the rampaging demons onto them.

“This isn’t good,” she muttered, “not at all.”

Complicating matters, most of the council was currently on the fourth stratum, protecting the Eldest as they underwent evolution. Even so, this situation sounded serious enough that they needed to be contacted.

“Well done, scout,” Amantsen thanked the suffering sibling on the ground before her, “you’ve done well to bring us word of this trouble. Rest and be healed, then report to the barracks for torpor. You deserve a break.”

“But…” the scout began to protest.

Immediately the shadows around them deepened, a cold wind blowing against their antennae.

“But… I can’t… wait that long… for torpor,” she finished lamely.

Amantsen nodded.

“You’ll have to, but a second longer.”

Not willing to be in their presence longer than necessary, she turned and left the poor scout to the healer’s ministrations and began to spread the word. The machinery of the Colony was efficient and effective in almost all circumstances, and it wasn’t long until word had been passed through the gate and to the forces residing in the fourth stratum.

“By my aching thorax, what on Pangera are those demons up to now?” Burke demanded of the air when the message had finally reached her. “We’ve got enough on our plates already. I swear the Eldest does this on purpose, everything flies into a mess when they evolve.”

She knew that wasn’t quite fair, the Eldest had evolved during the invasion by Garralosh in order to fight the beast, which they had eventually done. Not to mention, the last evolution had been done during a largely peaceful time. Still…. It was the sentiment that mattered.

“I’ll pass the word to the others, we need to assemble a task force to investigate, we can’t go flying into this blind. Start looking for scout volunteers.”

She found Wills not far away and apprised her sibling of the danger. She similarly wasn’t impressed with the Eldest’s timing and the two rushed to gather the other members of the Council.

“You can’t be serious,” Advant groaned.

“This is typical,” Cobalt agreed.

“This is less than ideal,” Coolant observed.

“When am I going in?” Leeroy asked.

Sloan slumped forward, rubbing at her temples with her antennae. This was the last thing she needed.

“We know there are powerful tier eight demons down there. Clearly, they are responsible for stirring up this mess. We need to know how fast it's spreading and when it might reach us. If we’re lucky, it won’t affect us. There are dozens of groups with territory in the third stratum. If they start fighting against the demons, then they might occupy them long enough for the Eldest to emerge so we can redeploy our forces.”

She needed a nap.

“In the event that they do come rushing at us, we need to fortify and garrison the paths between us as much as possible.”

A messenger rushed into the chamber, dropped some pheromones, then left.

“The Queen went WHERE?!” Sloan shrieked.